General Guidelines for Documentation
In order to determine eligibility for services, the Office for Disability Services (ODS) requires complete and current documentation of disability. The documentation should include an evaluation by an appropriately qualified professional that makes evident the current impact of the disability as it relates to the accommodation(s) requested. The eligibility determination process is not a same day process. Once documentation is received, it will be reviewed in order of receipt; therefore, it is recommended that documentation be submitted well in advance of any accommodation related needs (e.g. exam accommodations and alternative media services).
The general guidelines listed below are developed to assist you in working with your treating/diagnosing professional(s) to prepare the information required to evaluate your request for services. If you have questions after reading these guidelines, please call ODS at (614) 292-3307.
- Current functional impact of the condition(s).
The current relevant functional impacts on physical (mobility, dexterity, endurance, etc.), perceptual, cognitive (attention, distractibility, communication, etc.), and behavioral abilities should be described as a clinical narrative and/or through the provision of specific results from the diagnostic procedures/assessment.
- Treatments, medications, accommodations/auxiliary aids, services currently prescribed or in use.
Provide a description of treatments, medications, accommodations/auxiliary aids and/or services currently in use and their estimated effectiveness in minimizing the impact of the condition(s). Include any significant side effects that may impact physical, perceptual, behavioral or cognitive performance. If you feel that any additional accommodations/auxiliary aids are warranted, please list them along with a clear rationale and related functional limitations. Any accommodations/auxiliary aids will be taken into consideration, but not automatically implemented.
- The expected progression or stability of disability over time.
If possible, provide a description of the expected change in the functional impact of the condition(s) over time. If the condition is variable, describe the known triggers that may exacerbate the condition.
- A diagnostic statement identifying the disability.
When appropriate, include International Classification of Diseases (ICD) or Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) codes, the date of the most recent evaluation, or the dates of evaluations performed by referring professionals. If the most recent evaluation was not a full evaluation, indicate when the last full evaluation was conducted.
For your convenience, ODS has links to printable disability verification forms on this page. These forms or links can be given to medical professionals to complete - these are available on the right side of this page.
Illegible or unreadable documentation can delay the eligibility process; please encourage your doctor to complete the EDITABLE PDF version of the verification form to ensure that the information provided is legible.
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